Agricultural compositions and related methods

Abstract

Disclosed herein are agricultural compositions comprising plant messenger packs (PMPs), methods for using the same, and methods and related bioreactors for manufacturing PMPs.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for producing plant messenger packs (PMPs), the method comprising:
 (a) culturing a plant in a culture medium in a hydroponic system comprising a chemical stimulus; 
 (b) harvesting the culture medium; and 
 (c) purifying PMPs from the culture medium, wherein the harvesting does not comprise disruption of the cell membranes of the plant. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is a tomato plant. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is a seedling. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the culture medium is a liquid culture medium or a gel culture medium. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the culture medium comprises one or more of a macronutrient, a micronutrient, a salt, an enzyme, an antibiotic, an antifungal agent, or a plant growth factor. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydroponic system has a capacity of at least one of at least 1 L, at least 100 L, and at least 500 L. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the harvesting comprises separating the culture medium from the plant. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the culturing is performed for at least 1 week. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising loading the PMPs with a heterologous functional agent. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the heterologous functional agent is a heterologous agricultural agent comprising one or more of a pesticidal agent, a fertilizing agent, a herbicidal agent, or a plant-modifying agent. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the heterologous agricultural agent is a pesticidal agent, and wherein the pesticidal agent is at least one of an antifungal agent, an antibacterial agent, an insecticidal agent, a molluscicidal agent, a nematicidal agent, a virucidal agent, a peptide, a polypeptide, a nucleic acid, and a polynucleotide. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein
 (a) the antifungal agent is at least one of azoxystrobin, mancozeb, prothioconazole, folpet, tebuconazole, difenoconazole, captan, bupirimate, fosetyl-Al, a strobilurin, dimoxystrobin, enestroburin, fluoxastrobin, kresoxim-methyl, metominostrobin, picoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, trifloxystrobin, orysastrobin, a carboxamide, a carboxanilide, benalaxyl, benalaxyl-M, benodanil, carboxin, mebenil, mepronil, fenfuram, fenhexamid, flutolanil, furalaxyl, furcarbanil, furametpyr, metalaxyl, metalaxyl-M, methfuroxam, metsulfovax, ofurace, oxadixyl, oxycarboxin, penthiopyrad, pyracarbolid, salicylanilide, tecloftalam, thifluzamide, tiadinil, an N-biphenylamide, bixafen, boscalid, a carboxylic acid morpholide, dimethomorph, flumorph, a benzamide, flumetover, fluopicolid, zoxamid, a carboxamide, carpropamid, diclocymet, mandipropamid, silthiofam, an azole, a triazole, bitertanol, bromuconazole, cyproconazole, difenoconazole, diniconazole, enilconazole, epoxiconazole, fenbuconazole, flusilazol, fluquinconazole, flutriafol, hexaconazole, imibenconazole, ipconazole, metconazole, myclobutanil, penconazole, propiconazole, prothioconazole, simeconazole, tebuconazole, tetraconazole, triadimenol, triadimefon, triticonazole, an imidazole, cyazofamid, imazalil, pefurazoate, prochloraz, triflumizole, a benzimidazole, benomyl, carbendazim, fuberidazole, thiabendazole, ethaboxam, etridiazole, hymexazol, a pyridine, fuazinam, pyrifenox, pyrimidines, bupirimate, cyprodinil, ferimzone, fenarimol, mepanipyrim, nuarimol, pyrimethanil, a piperazine, triforine, a pyrrole, fludioxonil, fenpiclonil, a morpholine, aldimorph, dodemorph, fenpropimorph, tridemorph, a dicarboximide, iprodione, procymidone, vinclozolin, acibenzolar-S-methyl, anilazine, captafol, dazomet, diclomezin, fenoxanil, folpet, fenpropidin, famoxadon, fenamidon, octhilinone, probenazole, proquinazid, pyroquilon, quinoxyfen, tricyclazole, a carbamate, a dithiocarbamate, ferbam, maneb, metiram, metam, propineb, thiram, zineb, ziram, diethofencarb, flubenthiavalicarb, iprovalicarb, propamocarb, a guanidine, dodine, iminoctadine, guazatine, kasugamycin, a polyoxin, streptomycin, validamycin A, a fentin salt, a sulfur-containing heterocyclyl compound, isoprothiolane, dithianone, an organophosphorous compound, edifenphos, fosetyl, fosetyl-aluminum, iprobenfos, pyrazophos, tolclofos-methyl, an organochlorine compound, thiophanate-methyl, chlorothalonil, dichlofluanid, tolylfluanid, flusulfamide, phthalide, hexachlorobenzene, pencycuron, quintozene, nitrophenyl derivatives, binapacryl, dinocap, dinobuton, spiroxamine, cyflufenamid, cymoxanil, metrafenon, N-2-cyanophenyl-3,4-dichloroisothiazol-5-carboxamide, N-(3′,4′,5′-trifluorobiphenyl-2-yl)-3-difluoromethyl-1-methylpyrazole-4-carboxamide, 3-[5-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,3-dimethylisoxazolidin-3-yl]-pyridine, N-(3′,4′-dichloro-4-fluorobiphenyl-2-yl)-3-difluoromethyl-1-methylpyrazol-e-4-carboxamide, 5-chloro-7-(4-methylpiperidin-1-yl)-6-(2,4,6-trifluorophenyl)-[1,2,4]tria-zolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine, 2-butoxy-6-iodo-3-propylchromen-4-one, N,N-dimethyl-3-(3-bromo-6-fluoro-2-methylindole-1-sulfonyl)-[1,2,4]triazo-le-1-sulfonamide, methyl-(2-chloro-5-[1-(3-methylbenzyloxyimino)-ethyl]benzyl)carbamate, methyl-(2-chloro-5-[1-(6-methylpyridin-2-ylmethoxy-imino)ethyl]benzyl)carbamate, methyl 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(2-isopropoxycarbonylamino-3-methyl butyryl-amino)propionate, 4-fluorophenyl N-(1-(1-(4-cyanophenyl)ethanesulfonyl)but-2-yl)carbamate, N-(2-(4-[3-(4-chlorophenyl)prop-2-ynyloxy]-3-methoxyphenyl)ethyl)-2-metha-nesulfonylamino-3-methylbutyramide, N-(2-(4-[3-(4-chlorophenyl)prop-2-ynyloxy]-3-methoxyphenyl)ethyl)-2-ethan-esulfonylamino-3-methylbutyramide, N-(4′-bromobiphenyl-2-yl)-4-difluoromethyl-2-methylthiazol-5-carboxamide, N-(4′-trifluoromethylbiphenyl-2-yl)-4-difluoromethyl-2-methylthiazol-5-carboxamide, N-(4′-chloro-3′-fluorobiphenyl-2-yl)-4-difluoromethyl-2-methylt-hiazol-5-carboxamide, methyl 2-(ortho-((2,5-dimethylphenyloxy-methylene)phenyl)-3-methoxyacrylate, and esters and salts thereof; 
 (b) the antibacterial agent is at least one of a hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite, a chloramine, dichloroisocyanurate, trichloroisocyanurate, wet chlorine, chlorine dioxide, a peroxide, peracetic acid, potassium persulfate, sodium perborate, sodium percarbonate, urea perhydrate, iodine, iodpovidone, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 2-phenoxyethanol, phenol, a cresol, a halogenated phenol, hexachlorophene, triclosan, trichlorophenol, tribromophenol, pentachlorophenol, a cationic surfactant, benzalkonium chloride, cetyl trimethylammonium bromide, cetyl trimethylammonium chloride, didecyldimethylammonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, benzethonium chloride, chlorhexidine, glucoprotamine, octenidine dihydrochloride, an ozone solution, colloidal silver, silver nitrate, mercury chloride, phenylmercury salts, copper sulfate, copper oxide-chloride, copper hydroxide, copper octanoate, copper oxychloride sulfate, copper sulfate, copper sulfate pentahydrate, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, amidosulfuric acid, toluenesulfonic acid, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, a penicillin, a cephalosporin, vancomycin, a polymyxin, a rifamycin, a lipiarmycin, a quinolone, a sulfonamide, an aminoglycoside, kasugamycin, a macrolide, a lincosamide, a tetracycline, a cyclic lipopeptide, daptomycin, a glycylcycline, tigecycline, an oxazolidinone, linezolid, a lipiarmycin, fidaxomicin, rifampicin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, ampicillin, polymyxin B, gramicidin, isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, ethambutol, myambutol, streptomycin, and esters and salts thereof; 
 (c) the insecticidal agent is at least one of a chloronicotinyl, a neonicotinoid, acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, nitenpyram, nithiazine, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam, imidaclothiz, (2E)-1-[(2-chloro-1,3-thiazol-5-yl)methyl]-3,5-dimethyl-N-nitro-1,3,5-triazinan-2-imine, an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, a carbamate, alanycarb, aldicarb, aldoxycarb, allyxycarb, aminocarb, bendiocarb, benfuracarb, bufencarb, butacarb, butocarboxim, butoxycarboxim, carbaryl, carbofuran, carbosulfan, chloethocarb, dimetilan, ethiofencarb, fenobucarb, fenothiocarb, formetanate, furathiocarb, isoprocarb, metam-sodium, methiocarb, methomyl, metolcarb, oxamyl, phosphocarb, pirimicarb, promecarb, propoxur, thiodicarb, thiofanox, triazamate, trimethacarb, XMC, xylylcarb, an organophosphate, acephate, azamethiphos, azinphos (-methyl, -ethyl), bromophos-ethyl, bromfenvinfos (-methyl), butathiofos, cadusafos, carbophenothion, chlorethoxyfos, chlorfenvinphos, chlormephos, chlorpyrifos (-methyl/-ethyl), coumaphos, cyanofenphos, cyanophos, demeton-S-methyl, demeton-S-methylsulphon, dialifos, diazinon, dichlofenthion, dichlorvos/DDVP, dicrotophos, dimethoate, dimethylvinphos, dioxabenzofos, disulfoton, EPN, ethion, ethoprophos, etrimfos, famphur, fenamiphos, fenitrothion, fensulfothion, fenthion, flupyrazofos, fonofos, formothion, fosmethilan, fosthiazate, heptenophos, iodofenphos, iprobenfos, isazofos, isofenphos, isopropyl O-salicylate, isoxathion, malathion, mecarbam, methacrifos, methamidophos, methidathion, mevinphos, monocrotophos, naled, omethoate, oxydemeton-methyl, parathion (-methyl/-ethyl), phenthoate, phorate, phosalone, phosmet, phosphamidon, phosphocarb, phoxim, pirimiphos (-methyl/-ethyl), profenofos, propaphos, propetamphos, prothiofos, prothoate, pyraclofos, pyridaphenthion, pyridathion, quinalphos, sebufos, sulfotep, sulprofos, tebupirimfos, temephos, terbufos, tetrachlorvinphos, thiometon, triazophos, triclorfon, vamidothion, a pyrethroid, acrinathrin, allethrin (d-cis-trans, d-trans), cypermethrin (alpha-, beta-, theta-, zeta-), permethrin (cis-, trans-), beta-cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, bioallethrin, bioallethrin-S-cyclopentyl-isomer, bioethanomethrin, biopermethrin, bioresmethrin, chlovaporthrin, cis-cypermethrin, cis-resmethrin, cis-permethrin, clocythrin, cycloprothrin, cyfluthrin, cyhalothrin, cyphenothrin, DDT, deltamethrin, empenthrin (1R-isomer), esfenvalerate, etofenprox, fenfluthrin, fenpropathrin, fenpyrithrin, fenvalerate, flubrocythrinate, flucythrinate, flufenprox, flumethrin, fluvalinate, fubfenprox, gamma-cyhalothrin, imiprothrin, kadethrin, lambda, cyhalothrin, metofluthrin, phenothrin (1R-trans isomer), prallethrin, profluthrin, protrifenbute, pyresmethrin, resmethrin, RU 15525, silafluofen, tau-fluvalinate, tefluthrin, terallethrin, tetramethrin (1R-isomer), tralocythrin, tralomethrin, transfluthrin, ZXI 8901, a pyrethrin, pyrethrum, an oxadiazine, indoxacarb, an acetylcholine receptor modulator, a spinosyn, Spinosad, a cyclodiene, camphechlor, chlordane, endosulfan, gamma-HCH, HCH, heptachlor, an organochlorine, lindane, methoxychlor, a fiprole, acetoprole, ethiprole, vaniliprole, fipronil, a mectin, abamectin, avermectin, emamectin, emamectin-benzoate, fenoxycarb, hydroprene, kinoprene, methoprene, ivermectin, lepimectin, epofenonane, pyriproxifen, milbemectin, milbemycin, triprene, a diacylhydrazine, chromafenozide, halofenozide, methoxyfenozide, tebufenozide, a benzoylurea, bistrifluoron, chlorfluazuron, diflubenzuron, fluazuron, flucycloxuron, flufenoxuron, hexaflumuron, lufenuron, novaluron, noviflumuron, penfluoron, teflubenzuron, triflumuron, an organotin, azocyclotin, cyhexatin, fenbutatin oxide, a pyrrole, chlorfenapyr, a dinitrophenol, binapacyrl, dinobuton, dinocap, DNOC, a METI, fenazaquin, fenpyroximate, pyrimidifen, pyridaben, tebufenpyrad, tolfenpyrad, rotenone, acequinocyl, fluacrypyrim, a microbial disrupter of the intestinal membrane of insects, a  Bacillus thuringiensis  strain, an inhibitor of lipid synthesis, a tetronic acid, a tetramic acid, spirodiclofen, spiromesifen, spirotetramat, cis-3-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)-8-methoxy-2-oxo-1-azaspiro[4.5]dec-3-en-4-yl ethyl carbonate, a carboxamide, flonicamid, an octopaminergic agonist, amitraz, an inhibitor of the magnesium-stimulated ATPase, propargite, a ryanodin receptor agonist, a phthalamide, rynaxapyr, N2-[1,1-dimethyl-2-(methylsulphonyl)ethyl]-3-iodo-N1-[2-methyl-4-[1,2,2,2-tetrafluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethyl]phenyl]-1,2-benzenedi-carboxamide, and esters and salts thereof; 
 (d) the molluscicidal agent is at least one of a metal salt, iron phosphate, aluminium sulfate, ferric sodium EDTA, metaldehyde, methiocarb, and an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor; or 
 (e) the nematicidal agent is at least one of a fumigant, D-D, 1,3-Dichloropropene, Ethylene Dibromide, 1,2-Dibromo-3-Chloropropane, Methyl Bromide, Chloropicrin, Metam Sodium, Dazomet, Methyl Isothiocyanate (MITC), Sodium Tetrathiocarbonate, a carbamate, Aldicarb, Aldoxycarb, Carbofuran, Oxamyl, Cleothocarb, an organophosphate, Ethoprophos, Fenamiphos, Cadusafos, Fosthiazate, Fensulfothion, Thionazin, Isazofos, and a biochemical. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the heterologous agricultural agent is a herbicidal agent. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the herbicidal agent is at least one of glufosinate, propaquizafop, metamitron, metazachlor, pendimethalin, flufenacet, diflufenican, clomazone, nicosulfuron, mesotrione, pinoxaden, sulcotrione, prosulfocarb, sulfentrazone, bifenox, quinmerac, triallate, terbuthylazine, atrazine, oxyfluorfen, diuron, trifluralin, chlorotoluron, a benzoic acid herbicide, dicamba, a phenoxyalkanoic acid herbicide, 2,4-D, MCPA, a 2,4-DB ester, an aryloxyphenoxypropionic acid herbicide, clodinafop, cyhalofop, fenoxaprop, fluazifop, haloxyfop, a quizalofop ester, a pyridinecarboxylic acid herbicide, aminopyralid, picloram, a clopyralid ester, a pyrimidinecarboxylic acid herbicide, an aminocyclopyrachlor ester, a pyridyloxyalkanoic acid herbicide, fluoroxypyr, triclopyr, a hydroxybenzonitrile herbicide, bromoxynil, ioxynil, an arylpyridine carboxylic acid, an arylpyrimidine carboxylic acid, acetochlor, acifluorfen, alachlor, ametryn, amitrole, asulam, atrazine, azafenidin, benefin, bensulfuron, bensulide, bentazon, bromacil, bromoxynil, butylate, carfentrazone, chloramben, chlorimuron, chlorproham, chlorsulfuron, clethodim, clomazone, clopyralid, cloransulam, cyanazine, cycloate, DCPA, desmedipham, dichlobenil, diclofop, diclosulam, diethatyl, difenzoquat, diflufenzopyr, dimethenamid-p, diquat, diuron, DSMA, endothall, EPTC, ethalfluralin, ethametsulfuron, ethofumesate, fenoxaprop, fluazifop-P, flucarbazone, flufenacet, flumetsulam, flumiclorac, flumioxazin, fluometuron, fluroxypyr, fluthiacet, fomesafen, foramsulfuron, glyphosate, halosulfuron, haloxyfop, hexazinone, imazamethabenz, imazamox, imazapic, imazaquin, imazethapyr, isoxaben, isoxaflutole, lactofen, linuron, MCPB, methazole, metolachlor-s, metribuzin, metsulfuron, molinate, MSMA, napropamide, naptalam, nicosulfuron, norflurazon, oryzalin, oxadiazon, oxasulfuron, oxyfluorfen, paraquat, pebulate, pelargonic acid, pendimethalin, phenmedipham, picloram, primisulfuron, prodiamine, prometryn, pronamide, propachlor, propanil, prosulfuron, pyrazon, pyridate, pyrithiobac, quinclorac, quizalofop, rimsulfuron, sethoxydim, siduron, simazine, sulfentrazone, sulfometuron, sulfosulfuron, tebuthiuron, terbacil, thiazopyr, thifensulfuron, thiobencarb, tralkoxydim, triallate, triasulfuron, tribenuron, triclopyr, trifluralin, triflusulfuron, vernolate, and esters and salts thereof. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the heterologous agricultural agent is a plant-modifying agent. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plant-modifying agent is at least one of a polypeptide, a nucleic acid encoding a peptide, a synthetic mRNA, and an inhibitory RNA. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 (a) the polypeptide is at least one of a metabolic recombinase, a helicase, an integrase, a RNAse, a DNAse, an ubiquitination protein, a pore-forming protein, a signaling ligand, a cell penetrating peptide, a transcription factor, a receptor, an antibody, a nanobody, a gene editing protein, a Cas enzyme, a TALEN enzyme, a zinc finger, a riboprotein, a protein aptamer, and a chaperone; 
 (b) the nucleic acid encoding a peptide is a heterologous nucleic acid and produces a functionally active peptide; 
 (c) the synthetic mRNA encodes a polypeptide; or 
 (d) the inhibitory RNA is at least one of a short interfering RNA, a double-strand RNA, a short hairpin RNA, a microRNA, a meroduplex, a dicer substrate, and a multivalent RNA. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plant-modifying agent comprises at least one gRNA and a Cas endonuclease. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1  wherein the PMPs are secreted from a root of the plant into the culture medium. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the chemical stimulus is salicylic acid. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the salicylic acid is present in the culture medium at a concentration of about 1 mM.